The Secret Is Not Just Wishful Thinking

"Change comes naturally.

I do my best and God does the rest.

GRACE Whenever I am trying to improve some aspect of myself or my life, I don't let myself feel pressured to overanalyze details and instigate change. The truth is, as Jesus put it: 'I seek to do not my own will but the will of him who sent me.'

In seeking God's will, my part is to contribute whatever I am able and then allow God to do the rest. I think of the caterpillar that weaves a chrysalis around itself and then allows the grace of God to complete the transformation. The caterpillar cannot force itself to become a butterfly. Instead, it cooperates with the divine process at work and so do I. With the blessing of grace active in my life, I experience change that happens naturally, and I am at peace."

The above affirmation comes from the Sunday, June 10, 2007 page 25 of Daily Word, The Silent Unity Magazine. If you like the affirmation, go to the sidebar and click on the website of Unity Village to find more about the magazine.

This affirmation reminded me of an article that I have been wanting to write for awhile about the use of The Secret and its use of the Law of Attraction, or should I say how some people misuse the Law of Attraction? As my title says, The Secret Is Not Just Wishful Thinking. My husband recently told me that the movie The Secret is said to be responsible for a huge number of people filing for bankruptcy and losing their homes. Supposedly, many of these people went out and bought homes that they could not afford to buy after doing affirmations about buying a home. From what I can see, many of these people did affirmations but didn't take any action to make buying these new, sometimes expensive, homes a real possibility.

Doing affirmations alone is not what the Law of Attraction is about. As the above affirmation says, "I do my best and then God does the rest."

Doing my best means taking whatever actions that are needed on my part and then letting go of the results. Once we let go of the results, then God or the Universe, whatever you choose to call Him/Her/It can take over and change happens naturally without us interfering.

Doing my best is not relying upon wishful thinking. Yes, I believe affirmations work. I have seen them work in my life and in the life of others.

Wishful thinking is just saying, "Golly, God, can you give this to me? I think I am worthy, but I am not sure. I don't want to be responsible, in case I don't succeed. I might fail if I act, so I will just sit back and watch and want and whine. If I don't get what I want, it isn't my fault. This Secret stuff must not work. Yeah, I will blame it on The Secret. These people are just after my money. It doesn't really work."

I have heard supposedly "spiritual" people say some of these exact words. Where is the trust in themselves and in the Universe. Doubt is fear speaking loud and clear. Whining is another way of saying, "Oh, poor me. I am not responsible so I will blame somebody else.

You did not see Jack Canfield of Chicken Soup For The Soul fame tape that check for one million dollars on the ceiling of his bedroom and then just lay there fantacizing about the money coming in. He got busy doing whatever action was necessary on his part to write the books and help sell the books that bought in the check for that million dollars with the smiley face that his publisher wrote to him that year. You have to take whatever action is neccesary on your part to make your dreams come true.

That doesn't mean controlling every step of the way to the end result. When you do that, then the Universe cannot bring you what it wants to bring to you. You do your part and then get out of the way so the Universe can do its part.

1. Find and write affirmations that will help you become aligned with the Universe.

2. Monitor your thoughts and words to be positive.

3. Stay away from negative people that don't want your dreams to come true.

4. Take whatever actions necessary to do your part of what needs to be done.

5. Let the Universe do its part.

The Secret is not just wishful thinking. The Law of Attraction works if you let it.